This invention relates to an improved weapon carrying sling which, upon release, lengthens to form a firing support. The invention further relates to improved attachments which fasten the ends of the sling to the top and bottom or butt and forearm areas of the weapon.
The improved sling is useful in military, hunting and target weapons in general while the attachments and the sling together are particularly useful on the rifle currently in use in the United States Military and in the armed forces of other nations known as the M-16 rifle and the M-4 carbine and their equivalents.
For many years carrying slings or straps have been used on weapons such as rifles and other guns which enable them to be carried diagonally on an individuals back, over one shoulder on the back, or over the front of the body. These slings generally utilize some form of flexible strap attached near the top or forearm part of the weapon and run to some attachment point at or near the butt or pistol grip of the weapon, and are usually adjustable in length to adapt to the size of the individual weapon type, or to the carrying position.
It is also known to provide some means to lengthen the strap to enable the weapon to be shouldered, or at least the barrel extended forward of the individual""s body, for firing wherein the lengthened strap forms a firing aid in that the strap about the individual""s body is tensioned or strained off against the attachment to the forearm area steadying the front of the weapon, thus improving accuracy.
R. H. Seltmann et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,770; Bennett, U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,469; and Rock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,360 all disclose related weapon slings which use a sling or body loop which carries the weapon over the front of the individuals body. The loop circles the individuals chest and back and hangs over one shoulder. The butt of the weapon is supported by an attachment to the bottom or hip end of the loop. The encircling loop of these patents generally terminates at the aforesaid shoulder in two ends. One end of the loop passes through a slider or noose affixed at the other end at the individual""s diagonal shoulder and goes on through the slider to attach to the forearm of the weapon. When firing, the forearm of the rifle is extended which retracts the slider end and slider towards the individual""s body along the other end of the loop and tightens the sling through the slider to provide firing support by straining off the tightened body loop through its end connected to the weapon forearm.
To carry the weapon, a clasp is provided at or near the weapon forearm attachment point which, when clasped to the slider or noose, brings the rifle forearm up toward the individual""s shoulder into generally a front carrying position while loosening the body loop.
German Patent #2,260,700, discloses a sling in which a back strap 5 and loop 4 extending only across the individual""s back carries the weapon with an attachment at the shoulder end of the loop. The strap 5 is clasped to the forearm to carry the weapon and released to tighten the loop 4 through the attachment and form a firing support.
A major problem with the above noted sling types is that the release of the weapon from the carry position and tightening of the body loop or back loop in the case of the German patent, causes a trade off in the xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d of use of the sling as a firing support because changing the tension against the weapon forearm causes a change in the tension or tightness of the body loop and vice versa which adversely affects the aim because of such simple activities as breathing and wearing of body equipment, armor, or even coats.
Additionally, this interdependence causes problems in that an adjustment in the body loop changes the length of the firing support appreciably. In the case of the German patent, there is also no full body loop, which leaves the weapon inadequately supported in both the carry and firing positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,859 discloses a forearm sling attachment by which means a circular ring forming the sling attachment point is inserted over the tubular end of a shotgun magazine tube at the forearm.
Additionally U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,686 to Morwood discloses a weapon sling with a loosely encircling body loop from which the weapon may be carried across the front of the body and utilizing a releasable second strap between the shoulder end of the body loop and the weapon forearm. This second strap is released to fire the weapon but then provides no firing support. Note, however, in FIG. 7 a mode is disclosed whereby the entire body loop can be used as a firing support, though in a manner entirely unlike the invention herein disclosed.
Further, an attachment to this application dated May 25, 1970 and found in the Examiner""s search area in Class 224 Subclass 150 shows a weapon sling adapter kit, including a sling forearm attachment adapter capable of attachment to the front sight bridge of the M-16 type rifle.